June 12, 2015

In Rabobank’s new report, “Dude, Where’s My Consumer?”, many of America’s largest food and beverage companies are in trouble. Iconic brands are increasingly out of favor with U.S. consumers, where their mark is still set at reaching baby boomers. But how will they reach the up & coming consumers: millennials?

The report gives 5 ways that America’s big brands can reconnect with the U.S. consumer. (read more here…)

In today’s agriculture, people often think about farmers markets as the best place for farmers to connect with consumers. But for farmers growing commodity crops (like corn, soybeans, cattle….) that aren’t marketed at farmers markets, how can they connect with their consumers?

They need to do what their farmer friends are doing at farmers markets. One-on-one human connection. What, how?

In today's time of information overload, people need to connect face-to-face. This is why farmers markets are so successful and popular. But for corn farmers who do not market their products at farmers markets, how can they do this?

Social media plays a big role, but it’s not just about social media. This one-on-one, face-to-face communication can happen on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram but also by shaking hands with someone at church or your kids’ ballgames. There are several ways to have productive, civil conversation.

Farmers are already trusted. But by being positive, inclusive and real, methods of farming and uses for commodity agriculture will begin to build more trust.

A great idea to go along with face-to-face connections and social media that doesn’t take much time or effort are pictures. People love pictures. So by simply “showing” what they are doing, farmers will earn trust by being positive, inclusive and real. Visuals aren’t limited to social media. Invite influencers and media (that you trust) to your farm to take pictures and share what you do and why you do it.

Dude, are you my consumer? Let me show you what farming is all about….